A process evaluation of a required primary care clerkship.

A process evaluation was implemented to guide faculty in developing a new required primary care clerkship. During the first eight months of the clerkship, 23 medical students were observed in a time and motion analysis and a study of the verbal content of the precepting interactions as students presented their patients to a preceptor. Students spent an average of 44% of their clinic time in examination rooms with patients, 21% interacting with preceptors and 13% waiting without interaction. The verbal behaviors accounting for 80% of the student-preceptor interaction time were case presentations (50%), direct or indirect questioning (16%), and making recommendations for management (13%).